Boat vibration

Few weeks ago I messed up a prop, this week I got both of the ones that I had fixed and repaired. I went out on the lake today and WITH BOTH PROPS I had vibrations. I had bad vibrations with the four blade prop, and the three blade prop started ok but as the speed increased and it spun more the vibrations got worse. Is it the props, or is it something else. My drive shaft seems to be straight and I'm just not sure what to do. Any info would help. Is it the props? Thanks!

Boat is a 1998 Sanger DLX

Chances are if it does it with both you are looking at something else. Could be the shaft, the strut, coupler got knocked out of alignment.

I had the same issue a few summers ago. My boat would vibrate a lot when I was getting up to plain but wouldn't notice it when I was at idle speed or once up to cruising speed. Ended up being the drive shaft was bent and had to replace it or get it straighten (forget what they did)

Any way that I can check if it's the drive shaft?

it took the machanic about 30 seconds to tell me it was the drive shaft. If I remember correctly if you look at the end of the drive shaft where it goes into the prop there was a black O ring looking thing that was coming out of where the shaft and the prop meet. That O ring looking thing should not be showing at all. That's what he showed me.

Originally Posted by KJonesWakeboarder

Any way that I can check if it's the drive shaft?

I would think a dial indicator would be the easiest way

BTW please be vigilant about fixing the vibration last summer my friends supra had a very minor vibration and as he was cruising across the lake with his family of five in the boat suddenly the boat stopped the RPM's shot up and he was in trouble . The shaft broke and his new ACME prop and the broken piece of shaft went straight to the bottom of the lake . The worst was the bilge pump couldn't keep up with how fast the water was coming in . I hooked him up and started towing him as fast as i could safely tow him and he some how got down to the bottom of the hull and stuck his thumb into the hole .

So I checked the coupler alignement and it was fine, I also checked the shaft and all of that seems to be fine. I really believe it was the repair job. The cup on both of the props is basically flat and they both seems best to hell. Any prop recommendations for a 98 DLX that will be pullin a bit of weight. I've heard the 231 from acme should be good, idk though ... Opinions?

how much weight?
who fixed your props?

I'd hook boat up to fake a lake. pull prop, put water hose on cutlass bearing and bump the boat into gear for 10 seconds. should be pretty obvious if your shaft isn't straight. could also be your strut.

As Rick mentioned, do not operate the boat until you get this fixed. Can also do damage to engine internals

I'd say the boat weighs right around 4500 with everything I throw in it, the strut seems to be straight too, I hit a tree branch that was a good enough size to ding the prop, I was at about 3000 rpm when I did it. A guy near me re shaped it, but Im sure that it's on his end. The first time I put the prop he repaired on it and it vibrated horribly. Then I took it off, he re repaired it, then I put it on again and not as bad but still vibrated a lot so I think it's the props themselves. They have been beat up pretty bad and a few of the shops around my area (fresno, Visalia area in CA) said that the props weren't good. I do t plan on running the boat at all until there is no vibration at all and is back to the norm. What prop would you guys recommend? I pull about 1000 pounds of ballast with a few friends ... Thinking about an acme 231

I got a basically brand new acme 911 for sale

Originally Posted by KJonesWakeboarder

I'd say the boat weighs right around 4500 with everything I throw in it, the strut seems to be straight too, I hit a tree branch that was a good enough size to ding the prop, I was at about 3000 rpm when I did it. A guy near me re shaped it, but Im sure that it's on his end. The first time I put the prop he repaired on it and it vibrated horribly. Then I took it off, he re repaired it, then I put it on again and not as bad but still vibrated a lot so I think it's the props themselves. They have been beat up pretty bad and a few of the shops around my area (fresno, Visalia area in CA) said that the props weren't good. I do t plan on running the boat at all until there is no vibration at all and is back to the norm. What prop would you guys recommend? I pull about 1000 pounds of ballast with a few friends ... Thinking about an acme 231

Smart !! no reason to ruin your summer over a prop ..good luck